Clarity Publishing

25/11/2025

Ｌú　ē－ｈｉáｕ　ｋóｎｇ　Ｈｏｋ－ｋｉèｎ　ūａ　ｂô？

Penang Hokkien is more than a dialect – it’s the living language of the island. Brought by settlers from southern China’s Fujian province, it has flourished in Penang’s cultural crossroads, evolving with a rich vocabulary and colourful expressions that give it a character all its own.

With over 7,500 entries and chapters covering daily life, 𝗦𝗣𝗘𝗔𝗞 𝗛𝗢𝗞𝗞𝗜𝗘𝗡! captures the rhythm and personality of everyday speech. All entries are in POJ, the established Romanised Hokkien spelling system with tone marks, making it easy to follow and learn.

Whether you’re a native speaker, curious learner or a Penangite reconnecting with yourroots, 𝗦𝗣𝗘𝗔𝗞 𝗛𝗢𝗞𝗞𝗜𝗘𝗡! is a practical companion in keeping this vibrant dialect alive for generations to come.

Ｄｏ　ｙｏｕ　ｓｐｅａｋ　Ｈｏｋｋｉｅｎ？

Grab a copy or two of the book here:
https://www.clarity8.com/shopshop/en/gift-book/68-speak-hokkien-penang-hokkien-dictionary-phrasebook.html

07/07/2025

Finally - the "I Fed My Kid to a Bird of Prey" book tour kicks off!!

no, mel's not running some cult but if you're a human trying to figure out parenting in the 21st century this is a good place to start :)

24/06/2025

Dr. Seuss Meets Brené Brown: Malaysian Child Psychologist Debuts Rhyming Self-Help Book for Parents

What happens when a child psychologist with a poetic streak writes a self-help book for parents? The answer is a genre-bending debut that’s equal parts heart, humour and healing.

In ‘I Fed My Kid to a Bird of Prey’, Mel Schmitz, a Malaysian practicing child psychologist, blends therapeutic insight with lyrical storytelling to create a self-help book unlike anything currently on the shelf.

Written entirely in rhyme, the book offers digestible wisdom on topics like anxiety, self-worth, boundary-setting, and emotional resilience - all delivered with the rhythm and warmth of a bedtime story.

Key themes explored in the book include:
· Managing anxiety in the digital age
· Re-parenting yourself through compassion
· Letting go of perfectionism and people-pleasing
· Communicating for better parent-child relationships

According to Schmitz, “Parenting is about finding community and being community. We need the whole kampung to raise kids and were never meant to do this alone.”

17/06/2025

Thank you Eksentrika for this awesome interview!!

Admin needs to lie down now after 2 continuous days of posting - it's like waiting hours for a bus and then two suddenly come along...

Embassy Tales by Christine Sathiah is a witty diplomatic memoir revealing life as a Malaysian diplomat’s wife across nine countries.

16/06/2025

EMBASSY TALES - ronda in KL, a photodump
Ok a bit late, but better late than pregnant. here are some lovely pix of Christine Sathiah on her April 2025 book tour of KL, hosted by the wonderful Lit Books, Alliance Francaise de Kuala Lumpur, Association Francophone de Malaisie and MANZA. thank you all for an awesome time!!

14/04/2025

I can't remember the last time i read such a well-written book review (in Malaysia that is) by a journo who has obviously spent time reading/digesting the book and not just hurriedly tweaked a press release. thank you for the beautiful writing, NST Online ❤️❤️❤️

IN Embassy Tales: Memoirs of a Malaysian Diplomat’s Wife, Christine Sathiah opens the doors to a world many of us only get to glimpse in headlines and news clips — the world of diplomacy.

07/04/2025

EMBASSY TALES - KL TOUR
Embassy Tales is an intensely personal and perceptive account of Christine Sathiah's life as the wife of a senior Malaysian diplomat (Dato’ Renji Sathiah) spanning three decades and nine different countries, where she was witness to historical events and upheavals including war in Cambodia and Perestroika in the USSR.

Part memoir, part travelogue, Embassy Tales is a vivid kaleidoscope of hilarious moments and tragedy; good people and villains; moving encounters as well as interminably boring cocktail receptions.

---------------------------
JOIN US AT:
Thursday, 17 April 2025 @ 2000 Alliance Française de Kuala Lumpur, 15, Lorong Gurney, 54100 KL.

Friday, 18 April 2025 @1800 The Malaysian Autralian New Zealand Association (MANZA) 38 Jalan Tempinis, Lucky Garden, 59100, KL.

Saturday, 19 April 2025 @ 1500 Lit Books, 2nd floor, Bangsar Village 2, 59100 KL.

06/03/2025

It’s with heavy hearts and befuddled minds that we share this very sad news of our dear friend Azmi’s sudden passing. Patsy was only just making post-Raya makan plans with him and then…

Goodbye for now dear, sweet, kind Azmihhh, you were always one-of-a-kind and such a lovely person to work with as well; you always had time for a chat or catch-up. Everyone was in awe of your gift, I don’t think you ever really understood just how talented you are, I don’t just mean your art, but how you used it to connect with everyone from tiny children to old grannies. Your art made people smile, it made them nostalgic for the good old days, it made them feel warm and fuzzy inside. What an awesome gift! And even though you experienced a whole new level of fame it never fazed you, it never changed you, you were always the same Azmi, our old-skool, sk8ter boi mamak.

Rest in peace dear friend.

07/01/2025

Our first book event of the year was a packed launch of Christine Sathiah's - EMBASSY TALES, Memoirs of a Malaysian Diplomat's Wife. A diplomatic wife's life isn't all high tea and idle gossip, as Christine shared her experiences of surviving a war zone in Cambodia, armed robbery in Brasilia and daily life in the former Soviet Union.

Merci beaucoup to the wonderful team at Alliance Française de Penang for the superb hospitality and organisation. Let's do another reading soon! 😉

31/12/2024

BOOK LAUNCH
Embassy Tales is the personal and perceptive account of Christine Sathiah's life as the wife of a senior Malaysian diplomat (Dato' Renji Sathiah) spanning 30 years and nine different countries where she was witness to historical events and upheavals, including war in Cambodia and Perestroika in the USSR.

Drinks and nibbles at 1800
Discussion and reading at 1830

*Please DM to RESERVE your seats as there is limited seating left*